


Accidental (Unplanned) Child Acquisition

by Mullk6



Series: The world unknown to us (except one, stop lording your knowledge over us, it got old after the first year) [11]
Category: One Piece
Genre: ASL Brothers, Accidental Baby Acquisition, Ace and Sabo are confused, Dimension Travel, Gen, Humor, Kid!Luffy, Kidfic, Kinda, Luffy understands nothing, Self-Insert, The Ouroboros basically steal Garp's two grandsons and his future grandson, Well - Freeform, cognitive thought isn't a thing for him yet, do not copy to another site, he's a baby, kid!Ace, kid!Sabo, or - Freeform, the Ouroboros kidnap and then raise the ASL trio, this is Grap's fault, unplanned baby acquisition
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23655010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mullk6/pseuds/Mullk6
Summary: It was supposed to be recon. They were supposed to get in, get out, and leave the kid be if he was born.There was a change in plans.Damnit, Garp, why can't you keep your grandsons safe?!Timeline #... next one. (6)
Relationships: ASL Trio & Ouroboros Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy & Portgas D. Ace & Sabo
Series: The world unknown to us (except one, stop lording your knowledge over us, it got old after the first year) [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/804768
Comments: 111
Kudos: 549
Collections: Time Travel and World Travel





	1. The plan went out the window and drowned (Damnit Garp this is why Edwina hates you!)

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr for my fanfic rambles and my artwork for my fanfics: <https://mullk6fics.tumblr.com/>
> 
> Edwina 27  
> Alexia 22  
> Lisa 26  
> Jim 30  
> Jonas 35  
> Leo 31  
> Marcus 29
> 
> Because some fucking people can't take into consideration the spirit of my last version, LET ME BE FUCKING LITERAL THEN
> 
> DO NOT beg/ask/demand updates of me. It won't help, in fact, it will make me not update for even fucking longer.  
> DO NOT ask ABOUT updates either. Doing so has the same fucking effect, me not updating.  
> Doing any one of these things ANYWAY will have the effect of me cussing you out, hating you and everything you stand for, and deleting your comment and any that follow.  
> DO NOT tell me I should be flattered by people essentially asking me to do unpaid slave labour for their own entertainment, with no regard to my own mental health.
> 
> I would appreciate it if my comment sections were kept to being a happy place. A stress-free zone. A place I can visit to gather energy in hopes that it will help me write.
> 
> If you don't know what else to say when the things above are said to be taboo, emoji hearts are a good way to do so. No one can misinterpret emoji hearts. The things above can be misinterpreted. Don't do them.  
> Another way is to comment "I can't wait to see what happens next!"
> 
> Honestly, please don't even mention people doing this, or the word Update. It stresses me the fuck out and I have enough issues without people reminding me of the bad stuff.
> 
> Please, for the love of god don't make my bad days worse and ruin my good days, few as they are.

Foosha village. A pretty quaint town, if Edwina was to be honest. It was pretty idyllic, no one would ever suspect it was the hometown of the current ”Most Wanted” man on the planet. 

Or the future Pirate King. Presumably, that is. They had no idea if the kid was even born yet. Dragon, however, was active. Especially at the moment. The spike in activity could mean many things, Alexia had said, which was why they were on Dawn Island.

It was supposed to be recon. They were supposed to get in, get out, and leave the kid be if he was born.

There was a change in plans.

Maybe Garp let something slip. Maybe Dragon's actions were more extreme than usual and had set something off. Maybe Sengoku's hypocrisy was just a bit stronger. Maybe the wrong person had heard Garp mention his grandson and knew of Dragon's true name.

Whatever the reason, The Informant was getting pestered about the existence of Monkey D. Dragon's child.

And they couldn't have that.

The Informant always gives out correct information or doesn't answer. There's no in-between. That was the image her sister had cultivated. She used this to her advantage with a vengeance.

“Don't be an idiot, Dragon would _never_ give his child to a _Marine_ to look after, even _if_ he had one!” was the official opinion of the World's Greatest Information Broker.

And it was 100% _a lie_.

As was proven by the toddling barely 1-year-old that Makino was taking care of.

So, change of plans.

The Ouroboros Pirates had apparently come to raid the _entire island_.

This was going to be hectic and would take much planning.

First they had to find the other two kids.

It wouldn't do to deprive any of them the brotherhood they could have, after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Never before had they used their Entertainment Company for recon quite like this. It was a disguise, yes, but usually it was an on-and-off switch kinda thing, not a thin veil over their piracy. But this time, it was less about not letting people know they were outlaws and more about mapping out the island and finding kids. They recorded guard shifts in High Town, found which mansions belonged to which families, combed the forests until they found the Dadan Family and used the week to see if Ace had a certain routine. Turned out that the boy was awfully predictable once you spotted the patterns.

Sabo, meanwhile was very obviously a miserable only child, still. They had seen him at exactly one of their performances and he'd since then been confined to the manor by his disapproving sperm donor. The man had no appreciation for Nightwish, what a tasteless brute. At least Sabo had savoured the sounds of symphonic metal. Honestly, many songs by the band were a good fit for the boy and the man he would, could, become. [Give me truth](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upt8_tPYIl0). [Hard to light a candle, easy to curse the dark](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukDEYRXoH2g). [The nightingale is still locked in the cage / The deep breath I took still poisons my lungs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eoa1lQmq6lI&pbjreload=10).

So many. 

Too many.

It would be a crime to leave the child in a rotten place such as High Town. Oh, the normal people were fine, it was just... the Nobles. The high-ranking people poisoned everything beneath them until you couldn't tell where the corruption started or ended. Few were left untouched, and fewer remained as such.

Sabo was a beautiful sunflower growing among weeds. He would be choked to death before he made it into adulthood should he not be re-planted.

The son of the late Pirate King was a wild child, already running through the forest, hunting. He had yet to venture to civilization, had yet to be confronted by drunkards immersed in propaganda and old grudges. There were no guarantees, however, that the boy hadn't already been poisoned by thoughtless comments by his guardians or the old man that had left him there.

Ace was a wild child and a wild card. There was no telling whether he was a one or a fourteen.  
He had to be snatched to curb any suicidal thoughts or toxic self-hatred. No child should hate themselves the way Ace was capable of if left to his own devices.

Luffy was a happy child. A happy, lonely child. A happy, lonely, loved child. Ignorant of the last fact for the moment.

The babe had been left in the hands of a bad guardian by a father who knew to fear for the life of an innocent soul. A man who decided to trust in a father who had already failed his offspring and would fail every single grandson he acquired. Dragon was foolish, but he was desperate.

A single parent can't lead a revolution.

The leader of a revolution cannot raise a child.

Being the most hated man alive painted a target on the back of anyone associated with him-

Except one.

Garp was immune.

And as such, the child of Dragon the Revolutionary had been left in the care of Garp the Hero.

In theory, a foolproof plan.

In practice...

They had already spotted more than one suspicious person lurking around Makino and her charge. Luffy was eager to reach out to others, but was not given the chance.

He needed to be taken to protect him and to give him all the love. _All the love_.

Dragon wouldn't have anything to complain about.

But there was a very high chance that the Ouroboros were about to become the no. 1 targets of one Garp the Fist.

It wasn't like they could avoid that, though.

The Ouroboros were about to adopt three children and no one was gonna stop them.

Oh, and also rob the so called high-born of High Town blind.

This was gonna be fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bate Entertainment left Dawn for all to see.

Then the Ouroboros Pirates made landfall.

They struck in the dark of the night. Most of them in High Town. First silently, then causing a ruckus as soon as most of their business was already taken care of. 

Lisa scaled the outside wall of Outlook Manor as the first explosions went off. 

Leo set off an airborne sleeping-agent before striding into the Dadan Family's hideout. 

Alexia entered Party's Bar like a ghost and snuck up above the establishment, where the two residents slept, and slowly, carefully, lifted the tiny bundle into her arms.


	2. Paradise-seeker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kidnapping the first.

Sabo was awake though he knew he should be sleeping. He'd been trying to remember the words from the songs he'd been punished for listening to. He wasn't sure if it was because of the lyrics themselves or the fact that the band was _obviously rabble_ , at least according to his father. Sabo wasn't really sure what “rabble” even meant, just that his father hated it.

Which may or may not be why Sabo was racking his brain for the lyrics. He was sure he hadn't understood all the words and was probably missing more than a few, but he needed them.

He needed words to express the choking feel of the world he lived in.

“... [Clayborn voyage without an end](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzUW3E86DDs)...” the blond muttered as his fountain pen scritched across the paper of his leatherbound notebook with outwardly gilded pages and golden details on the covers. A little too gaudy in appearance for his liking but it was the plainest he could get at the moment.

The 4-year-old jerked at the sudden cold breeze, snapping around to stare at his window which should have been closed. It wasn't. Instead, it was open to let in a lithe, female figure shadowed by moonlight. It took a moment for him to discern any identifying features from the contrast in lighting, but he immediately recognized the woman who'd been playing an instrument in the back of the band. A small piano of some sort.

The woman had a completely different get up than she had on stage. She was wearing blue skintight shorts that reached her knees, thin-soled black shoes that wouldn't fall off her feet and a dark gray long-sleeved shirt that hugged her figure. In addition, she had a backpack secured to her with a thick strap across her stomach that opened with a thick clip. It looked very sturdy.

“C'mon little nightingale, I'll pack up anything you might miss and then you're coming with me.” the woman said in a soothing tone, sweet with the promise of freedom.

Now, no matter how Sabo craved to leave, to _not be here_ , he wasn't stupid. He knew not this woman, he shouldn't trust her without additional information.

No matter how much he'd like to jump at the opportunity.

Besides, now that he wasn't immersed in his work, the only child of the Outlooks noticed the sounds of explosions and screams from outside. Hopping down from his chair, the blond eyes the older woman “Why? And why should I?”

The woman looked amused as she dropped down from her perch on the windowsill and knelt down to his level, her long legs having brought her closer with only a few steps, before she spoke “Why? Why what? Why are we doing this? Captain's orders. First Mate's orders too, if I'm honest. Why you? You don't fit here and we both know this. You'll be swallowed up by the rot until the current you wouldn't recognize yourself anymore. That, or you will suffer until the end of your days until you just can't take it anymore... Why in general? Well,” she mused “do you think the sins of the father are the sins of the child?”

Sabo blinked, but shook his head. He found no logic in the statement. He himself wanted to be nothing like his father, so he shouldn't think anyone else carried the sins of their predecessors unless they themselves committed them too.

The woman smiled “That's why. This society, the Marines, the World Government... they punish people for things they have not done far too frequently... They hunt children for being born to the wrong people. You're but the third whom we will spirit away and for far different reasons.”

That didn't really answer anything... or did it? What was he missing? What hadn't he gathered from the answer she'd given? Was he supposed to have?

“And lastly...” the woman drawled, a dangerous smirk growing on her face “why should you? You don't _have to_...” she continued, sounding slyer by the second...

“But you don't exactly get to choose. Either you help me pack your things or I pack them for you. You're coming with me whether you consent or not.”

She was suddenly much more intimidating than comforting.

And apparently he'd taken too long in answering, because he was suddenly swept up against her chest, held there securely by one strong arm that was also holding her backpack open as she went around the room and stuffed this and that into it. Sabo tried to squirm free, but the arm held him fast without hurting him. The 4-year-old shivered with barely restrained dread.

This woman could hurt him if she truly wished to.

“Are these _silver_? What the actual fuck?” the woman quietly exclaimed when she opened his closet, where the clothes hangers were made of precious metals and inlaid with jewels “Whatever, they'll sell at least.” she grumbled, taking the hangers and everything hanging from them. His clothes were going to be wrinkled.

He was surprisingly ok with that.

He was also not struggling or even contemplating calling for help. He doubted anyone would hear him anyway, all guards in his father's employ were _outside_ in the cold. They might hear him from the opened window, but...

Not only would they just not get there in time, he didn't think, but Sabo didn't want to alert anyone to the burglar holding him. He'd resigned himself to his fate.

The woman packed some more valuables and a few things he showed interest in, such as his writing equipment and notebooks. Also all children's books and a few other miscellaneous things. Once she was done, she hefted the now heavier backpack back on it's rightful place and did the clasps so that it was secure on her back. She then scaled the wall with only her legs and one arm. Sabo made sure not to move or make a sound while she did this, too afraid to fall.

High Town was in chaos, the blond could see as the pianist ran in the shadows cast by the fires. The screaming and explosions were much louder now and the Noble-born child didn't know how to feel. People were getting hurt, he was sure, but the lower city seemed mostly untouched. It was only the castle and the manors and shops surrounding it that seemed to be in most harm. Anarchy. That was the word he was looking for to describe the actions of this woman and, he assumed, her crew.

He was taken towards the harbour, onboard a ship with a strange flag, a red, winged serpent chasing it's tail around a six-point star on a black base. 

Once onboard, the woman took a dark gray device from her belt and pressed a button as she walked across the deck, speaking into it “This is Escapist. Nightingale acquired.”

The device crackled, before a grainy voice came through “ _Roger that, Escapist. Prepare to move the ship, we'll get the others as soon as we Mustang shit up some more._ ”

The woman smirked “Roger-roger.”

Sabo was left, confused and wary, in a room with an unopenable window, a large, soft bed, the backpack and enough snacks that he wouldn't go hungry any time soon, before the door was locked behind him. Sitting on the bed for a moment before digging his notebook and pen out of the backpack so that he could continue his writings.

“A nightingale in a golden cage...”


	3. The mills grind slow (in a riverbed ghost town)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second and third children are taken, with more and less interaction.

Leo rolled the canister in his hands as he trudged through the woods, feeling nostalgic. The forest was definitely different from what he'd grown up with, but the air was the same and the un-trodden ground was familiar enough. He'd always loved playing in the thick woods in his backyard while growing up. He was in his element.

He was also on his way to abduct a 4-year-old from the only home he'd ever known, so there was also that. Honestly, what was his life?

Then again, the whole Dimension Travel thing was a much more life-altering thing than his current activities. Sigh. Their new normal was so fucked up.

Tossing the canister up once, twice, thrice, he then caught it and pushed the button in the side and chucked it in through the window of the bandit hideout, pulling the gas-mask out of his doctor coat's pocket and affixing it tightly to his face. It wouldn't do to get knocked out while doing this.

His walkie-talkie crackled to life as he walked through the now hazy interior, scanning the place for one-third of their targets.

“ _This is Escapist. Nightingale acquired._ ”

“ _Roger that, Escapist. Prepare to move the ship, we'll get the others as soon as we Mustang shit up some more._ ”

Leo huffed, amused by their Captain's way of putting things. They were pulling an epic prank on the world. No one was gonna notice a few kids disappearing, or at least two of the three, with High Town being raided so thoroughly. Garp would notice, of course, as would the bandits and Makino. But if they were smart then none of them would advertise the fact.

Garp had caused the need for this, after all.

Ace was asleep in a corner, tucked under a pretty ratty blanket. It was probably the thickest blanket in the building, so there was that. No matter how much the woman denied it, she was the brat's mother. At least if Alexia was to be believed and, well, she tended to be right. Especially if the blanket was anything to go by. He debated whether he should take the blanket with the child, then decided that seeing the lone blanket would be a most upsetting visual, so he tucked the cloth around Ace and lifted him up into a secure hold, leaving behind the letter Lex had written. They didn't want to cause undue trauma for any innocents, after all.

Dadan was given a number to call should she wish to keep in contact with the brat. It was on a separate note from the letter if she wanted to keep it from Garp. The man may love his grandsons, but...

he loved the World Government more.

It wasn't a good thing, when your family consisted of people said organization wanted to die in painful ways. The man had yet to realize he was fighting a losing battle.

The ginger doctor stepped out into the chilly night, removing his gas-mask and stuffing it back into the pocket it came out of. With the same hand he fished out the walkie-talkie resting at this waist.

With a deft motion, he brought it to his mouth as he headed for the agreed pick-up spot “52-pick-up. [Meet me where the cliff greets the sea.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WsOaSUXRHE)”

The communicator crackled “ _Roger that Élan. Only one run undone._ ”

Leo smirked. This had gone off without a hitch so far. All that was left was for Lex to do her part and then they could leave.

It was only once he came to the cliff that he questioned how the _hell_ he was supposed to get on board.

Alexia breathed in deeply as she approached her objective. Two down, one to go. Leo's message had come just as she'd entered the village, so the crew should be well on their way to _her_ rendevous point. Slowly, carefully, she slid her fingers and palms under the bundle, taking the baby blanket in the same scoop and tucking it around the baby so that only his head was visible.

Luffy was so small, even though she bet his appetite was enormous. Yet he was still so tiny, so light... she couldn't comprehend it. Glancing around she found a diaper-bag and hefted it over her shoulder, tucking some miscellaneous things in there before she left, such as a rattle, some toys, a teething ring, and a few pacifiers. She doubted Luffy was very attached to anything in particular and if he was, he'd soon forget about it. However...

He was 10 months and, according to Leo at least, would have probably made an emotional connection to, at the very least, Makino.

This could very well damage him on some level, but being in close quarters with nine other people constantly would mean that he wasn't lonely... and perhaps would replace his memories of Makino. It wasn't like Luffy was all that smart, at least non-emotionally.

Because by god was this child empathic. This would either harm or help him during this upheaval.  
But this was for his survival, for all of their survival. Ace and Luffy more than Sabo, really, but Sabo's emotional and mental survival _was_ on the line, too.

The Queen of the Underworld tensed at the sound of a horrified gasp from behind her. Slowly turning her head, she laid eyes on the green-haired woman taking care of Garp's grandson.

Fuck. She had hoped to slink away unnoticed.

Well...

Perhaps she could talk her way out of the situation... Makino was a rational woman, after all. Or, well... girl.

Honestly, how fucked up was the world that let a 13-year-old own a bar? Perhaps they weren't in Canon. That would explain the shift of someone finding out about Luffy's parentage, to be honest.

She still wasn't sure how that had happened, but maybe just the fact that a 13-year-old was taking care of a baby was enough to cause ripples, she didn't want to think that Canon Garp would have left Luffy with Makino... then again, who knew what age Luffy had been in Canon when he was given to Garp. Young enough not to have memories of Dragon, at least.

But she digressed...

“Who are you? P-put Luffy back _right now_!” the teenager exclaimed quietly, not wanting to wake the baby, Al presumed.

The young woman who was cursed by many regarded her coolly, poker face firmly in place “No, I don't think I will. Garp may have chosen death, but the child deserves to live.”

That statement certainly threw the brave girl for a loop “W-what do you mean?” it was obvious she didn't want to think badly of Garp. Hero-worship was _such_ a drag...

Not taking her eyes off the girl, Al brought her hand up to caress Luffy's black locks “Someone blabbed, Makino-chan. There are people out there who know Luffy's parentage... he is no longer safe here. Whether it's Garp's fault for not keeping his mouth shut... or whether it was someone in this village who remembers Garp's son, I do not know. But the fact is, Garp's protection is insufficient, and should Luffy stay here... the World Government will execute him for being born.”

Makino brought her hands up to her mouth, horrified tears pooling in her eyes. She must've been told whose son she was raising, then. There was that, at least, she supposed.

Alexia sighed, turning to face the girl completely and turning her back to the crib, she continued “And even if he somehow still managed to hide Luffy for long enough... his grand plan is to make the boy into a _Marine_.” she hissed “The idiot is planning to hand over the son of the most hated man in the world to the World Government _on a silver platter_. If the wrong people make the right connections, which they _would_ , then Luffy's life would be forfeit in less than a _year_.”

Garp's plan of making Ace and Luffy into Marines had never made sense. Even less after Marineford. He _might_ have been able to keep people ignorant of Ace, but _Luffy_? Wearing the name Monkey D. in the Marines was only safe for Garp's generation and the man had ignored that fact or just not realized it.

The man was so good at willful ignorance that she couldn't deduce which it was.

“Luffy is a stationary target in Foosha. The only chance he has to live right now is to be a moving one.”

She felt pity for the crying girl and paused on her way out, stopping at her side. Slowly, she lowered her hand from Luffy's head onto Makino's.

“You saw nothing. You heard nothing. He was already gone by the time you woke. You have no idea what happened.” she listed off, hoping the girl would stick to the story and just give Garp the letter she'd dropped in the crib in exchange for the child.

Alexia left the crying teen behind. The fact that she didn't try and chase her told her that the message had been received. 

The 22-year-old unclipped her walkie-talkie and spoke softly into it “I have [taken the only child.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6TgVsgTW7I)”

The device crackled before her sister's voice sounded from it “ _Copy that, River. Try not to drown._ ”

The younger sibling rolled her eyes “Real funny.” she just _had_ to get that in there, didn't she? Like there hadn't been enough lyrics referenced.

Oh well, take fun where you can get it and all that.

She strode purposefully towards the dock, already spotting their ship silhouetted against the full moon.

Mission accomplished. Operation: Child Acquisition complete. Now all they had to do was raise them.

This was going to be an adventure all on its own.


	4. First impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy is brought on board and the first meal is served. Oh, and Alexia makes a call.

The ship was silent as they sailed further away from the island. That meant Ace was probably still sound asleep but said nothing of Sabo. At this point, the boy would be a somewhat model Noble child. He didn't know any other way of acting yet. But he'd learn.

They met up in the mess/galley of The Truth, where Alexia realized that Leo was wearing different clothes and noticed the state of his hair.

“Please tell me you didn't actually jump off the cliff with Ace.” the youngest of the seven said in deadpan.

The red-head glared at her balefully “Hell no. I lowered Ace, after MacGyvering his blanket into a sack, with a rope. He only fell a little and Jonas caught him just fine.” the doctor sniped, then paused “ _Then_ I jumped off the cliff and into the water below.”

Alexia couldn't stop her facepalm even if she wanted to. Oh well, at least he'd had _some_ sense. The 22-year-old looked at the precious bundle in her arms and was come over by the creeping realization of her newfound status.

She slumped over in her seat “I'm too young to be a mother!” she whined.

“No you're not!” her sister called from further in where Marcus was cooking something small for all of them.

Traitor. Her sister, not their cook.

Sabo woke up to the sound of sniffles. This alone had him springing up from the bed, which he didn't remember falling asleep in, and look around frantically.

“Why is there a baby?” he found himself saying when he laid eyes on the crate with a squirming bundle inside.

His voice caused the lump on the other side of the bed to shift and pop upright, revealing a boy his age with black hair. The boy blinked and took in their surroundings before speaking “What the _fuck_?”

This caused the baby to make more distressed noises, so Sabo scrambled out of the bed to try and soothe it. He didn't know how the people who'd taken him, and the other two now that he thought about it, would react to the crying baby but he wasn't going to take chances just yet. Well, the woman who'd taken him had seemed genial enough but he couldn't be _sure_.

“Shh, shh, it's ok...” the blond hushed, patting the baby's, another ravenette, cheek. The baby blinked at him before giving him a gummy smile, babbling in a much happier tone. Huh. Maybe it had been lonely?

“Why's there a baby. Also who the hell are you? And also where are we?” the rather uncouth boy asked, sounding disoriented and angry.

Sabo looked around the room, concluding it was the same room he'd been put in the previous night, before answering “There was a raid on High Town by a Pirate crew last night. One of them kidnapped me while another presumably took you and the baby. I don't really know why, I wasn't given much information or a chance to refuse.”

The other boy looked at him in confusion, before his eyes migrated to the baby. The ravenette clambered down from the bed and came over, frowning all the while.

The baby was ecstatic at the sight of another person and gurgled happily, reaching for the other boy, whose frown softened minimally. The ravenette reached into the crate and let the baby take hold of his pointer and middle finger, tilting his head as he looked at the little thing. Sabo wondered if he'd been that happy as a baby. His parents never talked about it, though he'd heard some of the maids mention that period in time.

They both looked up at the sound of knocking, just in time to see the door open to show a brown-haired woman wearing a blue skirt and a red top with only one shoulder strap. The woman smiled at them before speaking “Good morning, boys. Breakfast is ready.”

Sabo looked at her incredulously. Really? That's it? No explanation, just an offer of food? Or was it a polite command? He wasn't sure.

The woman stepped inside and went straight for the baby, lifting it up in the air and causing it to giggle “Luffy~!” she chirped, which was a good indicator, at least.

The ravenette beside him looked just as skeptical, but didn't protest as the woman led the way out of the room and down the hall. Sabo followed closely, not wanting to leave the baby, Luffy, with unknown people.

The woman's skirt swished as she walked. Luffy was playing and pulling at her loose hair, but she wasn't reacting to it at all. Another good sign, he supposed. Ace wasn't really sure, but Dadan and the Bandits wouldn't have let it stand. He was still really suspicious, since he couldn't even remember getting taken. He wouldn't be caged, however, so he'd run the first chance he got.

Or, that had been the plan until he'd set eyes on the baby. He couldn't just leave it there! But he wasn't sure he could take care of it on his own or even with the other kid's help. So he'd stay _for the moment_ and escape if these people proved untrustworthy.

There was also the question of _why the fuck they'd all been taken_!?

She led them to a door which, when opened, revealed food. And a lot of it. Ace could feel himself drool at the scent of it and wiped his face, hoping no one had seen it. The room was divided in half by a counter with a half-a-door on the left, with tall stools by said counter and a big table with two benches and a weird chair at one end. The table had a lot of food on it and a number of empty plates, mugs and forks, spoons, and knives. The knives didn't look nearly sharp enough to do any damage, so they were probably _only_ for eating. The weirdest thing about the room is the fact that even though people are sitting by the table, _no one was eating_.

The woman put Luffy in the weird chair, which was probably made specifically for a baby to sit at the dinner table, now that Ace thought about it. She then sat on the edge of the bench closest to the baby dinner chair before turning enough to look at them and pat the empty space between her and a blond woman. Ace, eyeing the unknown, scrambled to sit beside the brunette he was just a tiny bit more familiar with. The other kid looked uncomfortable at the sight of the other blond, but didn't complain and sat in-between Ace and said blond.

The brown-haired woman then spoke up “Alright, Ace, Sabo, if you can't reach something, just ask for it and someone will help you. Now, do you want juice, milk, or water?”

Ace blinked at her, before pointing at the jug with milk in it, Sabo doing the same. Having someone pour you a drink was a weird, weird thing that Ace had never had happen to him, but he wasn't complaining.

There was also no fighting for food, which was also weird, but it was probably because there was more than enough for everyone. And when he said more than enough, he meant it. Because no one cut him off from the food even though it was pretty obvious he was eating more than the others. Casual conversation was also a thing that was happening. And casual insults.

“Pass the eggs.”

“There are three kinds of eggs, idiot.”

“The _scrambled eggs_ , _Jim_. Thank you.”

“I swear to god if that's whiskey you're pouring into your coffee-!”

“What? I told you no drinking when there are kids on board!”

“I'm the Captain I shouldn't have to-”

“Well too bad, I'm the First Mate and I _say so_!”

How the brunette, apparently the First Mate, was managing to yell, eat _and_ feed Luffy Ace had no idea. Ace didn't realize until it already happened, but he'd actually eaten his fill _at the table_. A new experience for him. And he hadn't had to hunt for any of it either.

“Jonas! Toss me a dishtowel!”

Ace looked up just in time to see a rag, _dishtowel_ , fly at the First Mate woman, who caught it before it hit anything and then tossed it over her shoulder. She then picked up Luffy and set him against the same shoulder before patting him on the back. Ace realized what the towel was for when the baby puked on it.

He had no idea why she'd done that, but it was probably necessary. He didn't know how to take care of babies... which meant escaping with him and the other kid was even more of a bad idea if there were more things like this that needed to be done that he had no idea about.

“He's so tiny... but do you really need to burp him at that age? I thought it was around like, six months or something?” the blond woman asked.

The guy with glasses was the one to answer that question, fiddling with his glasses as he spoke “Normally, yeah, but with his size it's quite possible that he was premature, so better safe than sorry, he seems to take to solid food well enough, but I'd rather not risk it. I'm not _that_ kind of doctor.”

The First Mate hummed as she let the black-haired guy take the ra- dishtowel “Speaking of, I need to make a call...”

The brown-haired guy wearing all-white raised an eyebrow “In yer office, or...”

“Here's fine, though I do need silence.” was her reply.

Ace and Sabo exchanged glances as everyone took that as their cue to leave, someone bringing two snails to the table as they went. A white one and one wearing a white hooded cape. The two boys ducked and crawled under the table to the other side, too curious to even think about leaving. The caped snail had another attachment to it that Ace could _guess_ was for speaking into, but he wasn't certain, he'd only seen one Den Den Mushi in the Bandits hideout and it had different attachments to it.

The woman huffed and smiled, before standing up and [sitting on the table instead of on the bench](https://66.media.tumblr.com/0278624b37eaf352552b922ffe1a3330/c8c77050796e3be6-b8/s640x960/ec43f80252fa7146956c3c900e665d7940c1b1a7.jpg), the Den Den on her right and Luffy standing on her thighs. She reached for the snail absently and then pushed the buttons on the side of the snail to dial the number to whoever it was she was calling, before pressing the blue button on the speaking attachment.

“Puru puru puru puru puru puru- Gacha. Yes?”

Ace raised an eyebrow. Usually, people answered with a name or something, he was pretty sure.

The First Mate lade chuckled as she bounced her legs “Revolutionary Dragon...” she drawled, her tone of voice way different from what it had been before. It made her sound older, Ace thought.

The bumps where the eyes were moved, maybe narrowing its eyes, Ace couldn't really tell from his angle, but he could guess “Who is this?” the guy on the other end sounded suspicious, so it was probably the eyes narrowing.

More smug laughter from the brunette “I am the one who knows all, Dragon-san. And I do wonder... do you know where your son is?”

Ace slid his eyes to Sabo, who was looking horrified, then to where he could see Luffy's fist, deciding that Luffy was probably the son she was talking about, but Sabo obviously knew who this guy was. Though he did wonder why Sabo was looking so horrified and pale, but he couldn't ask since the lady had said she needed _quiet_.

The Revolutionary guy spoke again “From your tone of voice I'll guess that I do not. What happened? Where is Luffy?”

Called it.

The First Mate lady hummed “Oh, don't worry, he's fine... at least, now he is. You really should have realized that giving him to Garp was going to backfire. Honestly, why did you think your father's reputation would eclipse that of yours? Mr. World's Most Hated?”

What.

Ace's face went slack as he tried to process the bomb that had been dropped.

 _World's Most Hated_...

How...

He'd thought that title was already taken. Or maybe-

Was it because Roger was dead? Had people started calling this Revolutionary guy that because he was now the worst in their opinion?

His head hurt.

“People are talking, Dragon. Foosha still remembers you. Any grandchild of Garp's is obviously yours. And you know what happens when the Marines hear about a legacy like yours... just look at Baterilla.”

_What?_

Ace shook a little at the name. He'd only heard about it in passing when Gramps was really drunk. If this woman was bringing it up-

Did she know? Was that why he and Luffy had been taken? How did Sabo fit in?

_What was happening?_

The man on the other end took a deep breath “I see... and where is my son?”

The woman turned to face the Den Den “Say hi, Luffy!” she chirped, pushing the blue button so that it popped up, just in time for the baby, who was now in front of the snail, to start babbling happily, waving his tiny little arms around.

“... hello, Luffy... it's your dad...” the guy on the other end sounded really sad.

Why had he given Luffy away if he was gonna be so sad about it, huh?

The brown-haired woman lifted Luffy into her lap again and pushed the blue button again before speaking “Like I said, he's perfectly fine, Dragon-san.”

The Den Den's eyes moved around again, changing expressions “What do you want?”

“No need to sound so hostile. I'll keep him, feed him, clothe him, _raise him_. I'll keep him safe until he can defend himself. But in exchange... you are now the father of three, not one.”

What.

“Elaborate.”

Yes. Please. _Explain_.

“Yours was not the only child I rescued from that island. One is the son of one such as you and the other... would have been smothered by those around him. All three _would_ have died one way or another. Two for their blood, one for his morals. So, our bargain is thus:” the woman explained, raising a hand in a casual wave.

“Your children are now as follows: Portgas D. Ace, 4 years old. Sabo, 4 years old. And Monkey D. Luffy, 10 months old. All from different mothers and Sabo's new last name is still pending, I'll get back to you on that.”

Ace's head was spinning. He was pretty sure Sabo wasn't doing any better.

What the hell kind of hurricane had they been abducted into?


	5. And the weight of the world comes crashing on your spine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabo has an internal freak-out and Ace learns to be something other than angry at the world.

Sabo stared at the Den Den Mushi in horror as he realized who, exactly, this crazy First Mate woman was talking to. He'd only heard of him by accident from his politics tutor, but this man was a revolutionary. _The_ Revolutionary. The World's Most Wanted person alive, currently. He was as wanted as Gold Roger had been back in the day.

And these people had kidnapped his son.

And _he was letting them._

Sabo... Sabo felt faint.

And- and- _and_ \- this woman was also forcing- coercing- telling?? _ **???**_ _The_ Revolutionary... to _adopt_ him and the uncouth boy, Ace...

He wanted to go lay down now, please.

“... Deal.”

Sabo _barely_ held in the high-pitched whine he wanted to make. What the hell was his life right now?

Worst part? It was probably better than what he'd have if he _hadn't_ been taken. But that was just first impressions. He had yearned for the world outside the city that he barely got to even see. He'd spent much of his time, at least that he could remember, inside his room. Studying. Always, always... studying.

He liked books well enough, but the lack of choice chafed. It always... chafed.

Now, he was tasked to choose a surname for himself. That was big, though he wasn't sure if the woman realized that. Sure, he'd had no choice in whether or not to keep his current surname, but it wasn't like he was particularly attached to it either. But they hadn't re-named him, either.

He felt... something... at that.

He didn't hear the rest of the conversation, only twitched when the woman ended the call, bouncing Luffy on her knee as if she hadn't just blackmailed the World's Most Wanted Man into adopting two random kids. Weirdest part, really, was the man _agreeing_. Without any protest, even!

Thought that may have had something to do with the woman holding the man's son kinda hostage. He wasn't sure if you could hold someone hostage if you meant them no harm. Then again, he was pretty sure none of them were allowed to leave, so... still kidnapping.

These people were weird.

The woman suddenly jerked upright “Ah, shit. We need to baby-proof the entire ship, now. I did not think this through.”

Sabo looked at her in horror. _That wasn't comforting!_

It didn't take much to baby proof the ship, what with Jonas and his building savvy onboard. Of course, the change was gradual in some areas, because Luffy was very good at getting into things, which meant Jonas had to baby proof whatever Luffy had gotten into after the baby had been extracted from there. Ace and Sabo learned quickly that the crew had eyes everywhere, the Captain's word was Law unless the First Mate said otherwise, and the First Mate was the Informant. Oh, and Marcus would always feed them if they were hungry and would put their needs before the rest of the crew's.

It was a novel concept for Ace, especially once he realized everyone onboard knew whose son he was. Well, except Sabo and Luffy, but that was only because one hadn't been told and the other didn't understand language.

Living on a ship was different. You couldn't really escape from the other people on board like you could in the forest. They, as in the kids, weren't expected to earn their keep, like Ace had been with the bandits, but they were expected to learn to read. Sabo could already read pretty well, but it took him a while. Ace had seen letters before, but he didn't know what they were supposed to mean. Doc Leo was tasked with teaching them letters and Ace was secretly proud that he'd learned pretty fast once someone actually actively taught him. Jim was there to spar with him when he asked, but not as much as Ace would have liked, because these people had some weird concepts of what kids his age were allowed to do. At least they let him hunt, even if Jim and Marcus always came with him. So long as he didn't come back to the ship with too big of an injury, they got away with it and weren't yelled at by Alexia and Leo. Ace also didn't like the forced bed-rest that came with more serious injuries.

All in all, it was nice, if weird.

The crew was also nice, if weird.

Especially the singing. At first, it had been _really_ weird, especially when Sabo kept writing down all the lyrics, but eventually, Ace grew used to it. Started to enjoy it, even.

It was hard to stay mad, here.

Especially...

Ace hadn't been able to sleep, one night. He'd left their room and went on deck, taking the blanket he'd been abducted with, and went on deck. The blanket was barely enough to keep away the chill the sea breeze brought. He'd sat down in the middle of the deck and watched the stars for- well, he didn't know how long, but a while.

“Can't sleep?”

He'd flinched at the sound of her voice but hadn't turned to look at her.

“Why?”

He hadn't meant to ask, but it kept niggling at the back of his brain, every time anyone on board was nice to him.

Just...

Just why...

Alexia had hummed, before stepping forward and sitting next to him. She was dressed in normal clothes, so she'd probably been on night watch. “Why, huh? A lot of questions in that, I reckon.”

Ace hadn't elaborated, drawing his blanket tighter around himself, hugging his knees.

“Luffy is the son of Monkey D. Dragon, the current Most Wanted man in the world. Honestly, he'd probably still be seen as a threat if Roger hadn't died.”

Ace had twitched but kept silent.

“Dragon gave Luffy to Garp, thinking, or perhaps hoping, that Garp could keep him secret, keep him safe. But someone drew the right conclusions and told the right, or wrong, people. Rumors flew. People noticed. It was only a matter of time... a matter of time before someone decided to murder a baby for being born to the wrong person.” Alexia had grown quiet, before he felt her gaze on him, causing him to look at her as she continued “Again.”

Ace had clenched his fists, knowing what she was hinting at. He'd huddled away a little when she reached a hand over to card through his hair, bringing her legs closer and crossing them, a hand resting where her ankles crossed.

Then she'd started speaking again “Rouge was an amazing woman. I've admired her ever since I found out what she did. All good mothers love their children and would do what is best for them, even if it hurts. And keeping you alive, knowing what it would do to her... that is the worst sort of pain, I think.”

Ace had sucked his lips inwards, not wanting to hear how he'd sucked the life of his mother-

“Knowing she would never get to hold you. Never see your first steps. Hear your first word. Never be part of your life. Knowing she'd see your father when you wouldn't get the chance. Yes... losing a child is terrible for any parent... but knowing your child will _never know you_...”

“That is the worst kind of hell.”

He hadn't noticed the tears until they landed on his knuckles. He'd buried his face in the blanket, trying to hide from it, and the words.

“But knowing you would survive made her smile, one last time, as she named you. You were the _greatest treasure_ she could ever have asked for. Both of your parents tried to save you, knowing they wouldn't see you grow up, but hoping _you still would._ ”

The raven-haired boy had looked at her, still silently sobbing, lip wobbling, both wanting and not wanting her to continue.

Because hearing all of this hurt, even if it made him feel better.

“The Pirate King was already dying when he found out Rouge was pregnant. There was nowhere he could go where all three of you would be safe. So, he tried to make sure the _two_ of you were safe... but even his heckling at his execution didn't stop the World Government from hunting. It was a good thing he guilted Garp into saving you, lest both of you had been lost.”

He hadn't fought her gathering him into her lap and holding him close “Your father did _everything he could_ to save the two of you and it wasn't enough. Your parents loved you enough to sign their lives away if only for the chance that you would live. But what Roger did manage was create just enough chaos for no one to be able to find you after Garp took you and hid you. But with Marines coming for the son of Dragon, there was all the chance that even if we stole Luffy away, they would find _you_ instead.”

_That's why._

She hadn't said it, but she had all but implied it.

She'd gathered him closer and turned him to sit sideways in her lap, head cushioned on her chest, hearing her heartbeat as she petted his head.

“ _ **[I see the darkness in your eyes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hzssKb9940)  
I feel the spark of life go weaker  
In your restless soul  
I can hear your fading cries  
A relentless wail now going on and on**_”

She'd sung then, a song that hit just a little too close, a little too hard, due to what she had just told him.

“ _ **When the tears are in your eyes  
You sing a drunken lullaby  
And the weight of the world  
Comes crashing on your spine  
Now remember what's inside  
The warmth that made you smile  
And rise up high  
Towards the golden sky  
Your Eden  
Your Eden**_”

Ace had cried some more, even as he fell asleep to her voice and wondered, just for a moment, if his mom would have been like her.

“ _ **Blood is gushing from your palms  
Your feeble heart is breaking  
Your soul reduced to ash  
Pictures racing through your mind  
Dearest memories from not so long ago**_”

Or even, he'd fuzzily thought, if maybe his mom would have liked Alexia.

When he'd woken up the next day, he'd discovered that Alexia had washed away the tear tracks on his face.

Looking back, that was the start of him seeing her as his new mother.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr for my fanfic rambles and my artwork for my fanfics: <https://mullk6fics.tumblr.com/>
> 
> Edwina 27  
> Alexia 22  
> Lisa 26  
> Jim 30  
> Jonas 35  
> Leo 31  
> Marcus 29
> 
> Because some fucking people can't take into consideration the spirit of my last version, LET ME BE FUCKING LITERAL THEN
> 
> DO NOT beg/ask/demand updates of me. It won't help, in fact, it will make me not update for even fucking longer.  
> DO NOT ask ABOUT updates either. Doing so has the same fucking effect, me not updating.  
> Doing any one of these things ANYWAY will have the effect of me cussing you out, hating you and everything you stand for, and deleting your comment and any that follow.  
> DO NOT tell me I should be flattered by people essentially asking me to do unpaid slave labour for their own entertainment, with no regard to my own mental health.
> 
> I would appreciate it if my comment sections were kept to being a happy place. A stress-free zone. A place I can visit to gather energy in hopes that it will help me write.
> 
> If you don't know what else to say when the things above are said to be taboo, emoji hearts are a good way to do so. No one can misinterpret emoji hearts. The things above can be misinterpreted. Don't do them.  
> Another way is to comment "I can't wait to see what happens next!"
> 
> Honestly, please don't even mention people doing this, or the word Update. It stresses me the fuck out and I have enough issues without people reminding me of the bad stuff.
> 
> Please, for the love of god don't make my bad days worse and ruin my good days, few as they are.


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